It's not RW. It's not Bevell. It's not Giacomini. It's not our WR's or our 3rd down defense. It's the bloody damn 49ers. They look almost unstoppable right now. The Cards and Rams look good too, don't get me wrong, but the 9ers look like the real truth. My biggest fear is that we put together the team we've all been waiting, hoping and praying for just to be 1 upped by the goddam 49ers.

It almost feels like a Federer - Nadal situation (if you follow tennis at all). Roger Federer would probably be the greatest tennis player of all time were it not for Rafael Nadal. Hopefully we're able to overcome that particular adversity.

I'm not here to argue for the 49ers either. Make me feel better, 12th man. Please.

Don't worry Zeb, Federer and Nadal have wins over each other in 2012. I'm assuming the 'hawks are Fed, if that is the case, we can look forward to a pretty good game the first time around...THEN...what some might consider domination. Federer also owns Nadal at Wimbeldon, and is the current Champion on what I would call the superbowl of Tennis (IMHO).

If we want to relate Football and this rivalry, 2012 has been a good year.

I also used the word "unstoppable" to describe them during the Detroit game. But as it happens, the Vikings decided to prove me wrong the week after that. The Vikes are a good team, but, you know, so are we. And so are a good chunk of their remaining opponents. It's important to remember one simple truth: The Bills and the Jets really suck. They just finished the two easiest games on their schedule. It only gets harder for them from here.

Also, remember that the NFC West isn't actually terrible any more. It's downright likely that one of us is taking a wildcard spot. Let the 49ers beat any other team they want. If we're a good enough team to actually do something in the playoffs, we're a good enough team to get ourselves in.

Any given Sunday, of course, but you're dead on Zeb. All the comparisons made between the 49ers and Seahawks last year are accurate, imo. They're set up the way we're trying to be, and they're further ahead in their window. I think that if we were in different divisions, we'd see the Seahawks and 49ers battle hard with each other in the postseason year after year starting possibly this year and definitely next. But those battles are going to end up as regular season battles, and the NFC West is going to end up looking a lot like the AFC North, with similar teams battling it out for supremacy year in and year out (though it looks like we may be spared the perennial doormat like the AFCN has in the Browns).

uncle fester wrote:Of all the games to pull us back into divisional record contention, the next one HAD to be away to SF, didn't it?

Eh, look at it this way. Early in the season, most teams are still working out the kinks. Offenses aren't clicking quite as well as they will be later in the season, for example. So we get all of our divisional opponents at home later when our offense is performing better than they are now.

uncle fester wrote:Of all the games to pull us back into divisional record contention, the next one HAD to be away to SF, didn't it?

Eh, look at it this way. Early in the season, most teams are still working out the kinks. Offenses aren't clicking quite as well as they will be later in the season, for example. So we get all of our divisional opponents at home later when our offense is performing better than they are now.

Our team is built to beat the 49ers (and Arizona really). Plain and simple.

Point: Our big DB's are designed to remove the outside WR's from play - plus Smith is inept at throwing to them anyway. Crabtree finally had a big game where he was actually relevant in the game. Moss still nowhere to be found. Point: Our DL is a run stuffing DL. Really important to ensure that a front 4 can control the run.

Remaining issue: Vernon Davis and slot receivers - this is our potential Achilles heal. Vernon Davis is THAT special. Our slot is not well defended by Trufant (at least not at the level we want). This requires our safeties to come down to cover these two spots which puts a lot of stress on our interior defense.

I think we are good enough to hold them to little or no scoring - the question is can we score... they have proven all year they get after the QB and complete plays on defense - we have proven we are vulnerable to a strong rush and knee-jerk passes that are prone to INT.

One thing is for certain - this is going to be a GREAT GAME. No doubt about it.

Yea I kinda been feeling the same. When we were mediocre the whole division was. Then when we finally put it all together so does the whole damn division. After 36 years I am starting to think that the Gods just dont want to let the stars aline in Seattle's favour. I hope we can just be better and get it done but shit the numbers team do look damn good and it is going to be really hard to win this division.

I think for some reason the Cardinals are the 49ers Achilles Heel. If the Cardinals could ever settle their QB/OL/RB issues they would be a larger concern as well. Definitely the digits are the cream of the division. Seahawks have to resolve their pass pro and the rest of the passing game components. These next 2 games coming up against the Pats followed by the 49ers will either generate crazy euphoria around here or bring on a bit of depression before moving on into the season schedule.

The Seahawks are at a crossroad. To retain the architects that have put together this club they need to continue to show improvement across the board. I would hate to see a "Vinnie TD Helmet" scenario cut short the chance to unlock long term stability of the organization. The team is still in dangerous waters, if not inside the building, at least on the outside. They have really got to quiet their critics.

So until that is done, I personally would not focus on the 49ers. They have reached their safe harbor and are heading off the beach. The Seahawks are still navigating a few reefs with choppy waters still in play (need Sailor to turn a sea-worthy phrase, arrgggh).

Pstark3 wrote:Well they looked pretty unstoppable last year too. And guess what? We came close to winning both games. Pete has a good idea how to beat these guys, and we'll see how we do next thursday.

The ONLY advantage that the whiners have over us is, Harbaughhhghh also played Quarterback in the NFL, and understands the intricacies of that position ,but other than that, we're every bit in it to win it, because Lynch is better than Gore ,and Turbin compliments our run game pretty damned good, +, he's a greenhorn that's only going to get better.

Pstark3 wrote:Well they looked pretty unstoppable last year too. And guess what? We came close to winning both games. Pete has a good idea how to beat these guys, and we'll see how we do next thursday.

I never thought they looked unstoppable last year. As a matter of fact, I waited for them to falter week after week, and they kept pulling games out.

This years 9ers is a different beast. They are just that damned good. I think we've got a puncher's chance, especially at home but to use last year as any kind of metric is setting yourself up for disappointment.

The only argument against the 9ers that I hold any hope for is the "peaked too early" one, and even that one is more hopeful than anything else.

I'm not saying we can't win, I just think it will be goddamn tough, and I don't think we're "built to beat them" any more than any other team.

What separates us right now is o-line play. Their o-line is quite possibly the best in the league, or at least near the top. Once we shore up our line, the talent disparity between the nines and our guys will be set even.

nsport wrote:Our team is built to beat the 49ers (and Arizona really). Plain and simple.

You nailed it. That has been Pete Carroll's main goal in constructing the team, IMO. Since day 1 he has been building a team that has strengths to beat the teams in our division. Because he knows that if you can beat the teams in your division, anything can happen in the playoffs.

So far we have lost 2 games in the division, but we had a chance to win them at the end. We will play the 49ers close too.

Big differences this year. James Carpenter at left guard is a monster. The O-Line is finally getting to play together. We are much younger and the young guys will wear down the older 49ers. The injury bug is bound to bite SF sooner or later, I don't wish for it, but it will happen.

Our D-Line can and will snuff their running game and SanFran has never come up against a defensive backfield like this one.

Walter Thurmond the III will be back and he will make a big difference against people like VD and Crabs.

Beast Mode and Turbinator will be on a roll by then.

DangeRuss will be in a groove with his receivers and the NFL game by then. And Bevell will have a better handle on what our team excels at.

Golden Tate, Sidney Rice, Zach Miller and the wildcard, Braylon Edwards who will want some payback.

You KNOW Pete Carroll wants that win, BADLY. His team will play to get it for him.

Bruce Irvin and Chris Clemons will be the Terrible Tandem by then, playing off of each other's strengths.

Game 7, while SF has peaked, the Seattle Seahawks are just hitting their stride. This is a very young, very tough team, and tenacity is all they know. Nobody has, or can tell them that they can't beat every team in the NFL, in any stadium.

The thing about a young team, a short week does not hurt them, and it gives them less time to over think a game. This team can, and will go in to Candlestick park and light it up.